01.08.2022
The Soviet Union fleet of small vessels exceeded 4 mln units. And that's not counting non-registerable inflatable and two-seater boats with a load capacity of less than 225 kg. In Russia, there are currently around 2 mln small vessels and the market potential in this segment is enormous.
From far away across the land (Russian song)
Russia has some of the longest waterways in the world — over 100,000 km. We are second only to China (over 126,000 km) and twice ahead of the European Union (about 52,000 km). The development of water and transport infrastructure, as well as the potential for water tourism, could give an additional boost to the small boat construction market, whose turnover exceeds RUB 11 bln and continues growing. Moreover, the lion's share of the market is held by national producers. Numerically, it looks as follows: 80% of small vessels and boats and 60% of watercrafts up to 17 m in length are manufactured in Russia. Of these, about a third are made of aluminium.
Aluminium is one of the most popular materials for shipbuilding
Lighter and Stronger
Owing to the aluminium's unique set of properties, the metal is used extensively in small boat construction. It is significantly lighter in weight than comparable materials, while maintaining its strength characteristics. 'By reducing the vessel's weight, you can install an engine with a smaller volume and less power, such engines are cheaper while also reducing fuel consumption, which is an important factor for boat owners,' notes Denis Serkov, head of the Aluminium Association's Small Boat Construction sub-sector and co-founder of the BRO Watercraft Plant..
The volume of aluminium consumption in the small boat construction industry could soon be boosted by the introduction of the innovative alloy 1581 developed by the Institute of Lightweight Materials and Technology (ILMiT). The new alloy has been successfully tested in the laboratory and has shown a 30% increase in strength characteristics, which will allow for a reduction in the thickness of the aluminium sheet. And the thinner the sheet, the lighter the overall weight of a boat or catamaran. In the short term, BRO specialists, in collaboration with the Aluminium Association, will conduct practical tests of the new alloy on the waterways of Rostov region.
Welding the parts of the soon-to-be catamaran
Every Man to His Own Taste
The test site was not chosen by chance — the River Don is one of the five longest rivers in Europe. Another important factor is weather conditions — the season in Rostov-on-Don lasts much longer than in many other regions, which adds to the interest of rostovites in river transport.
Rostov shipyard for small boat construction — BRO
Not surprisingly, Rostov-on-Don is home to a full-cycle manufacturing plant for boats and catamarans. BRO, which is part of the Aluminium Association, has its own design office, modern equipment and even an atelier where they make canvas cloths, ship furniture — armchairs and sofas. 'We want to perfect the product, so every detail counts. Hence not only the vessel design, but its components, including sofas and armchairs, are in focus,' explains Denis Serkov.
To enhance product quality, BRO has set up its own ship's furniture atelier
At BRO's 2,000 sqm production facility, boats and catamarans up to 11 metres in length are built from sheets of aluminium alloy 5083, manufactured at the Samara Metallurgical Plant. Work on a model ship starts with plasma cutting of aluminium sheets to produce the required shapes. The required elements are then sent for bending. To enhance the strength of the current alloy, aluminium sheets undergo bead forming. The parts obtained are joined by argon welding (friction stir welding, which has been developed by the Sespel enterprise in Cheboksary, is under consideration). Finally, the boat acquires recognisable shapes.
Welding Stage
Once the metal has been stripped, all that remains is to select the colour for powder coating and send the vessel into the furnace, where the paint layer is finished at a temperature of 160 to 200 degrees Celsius. The boat can be painted in any colour. Moreover, according to BRO co-founder Dmitry Chernov, customers from the south tend to order boats in lighter colours while those from the north — in darker colours.
Painting Stage
The customer can choose the vessel's interior and exterior fittings, equip it with optional equipment and install additional storage compartments. The BRO team is sometimes called upon to take on unusual tasks. For example, one of the clients, a man of stout build, asked for the boat to be adapted to his size. 'We constructed a reinforced boat design to fit the customer's requirements and completely redesigned the gates to ensure that he is comfortable on board. We called this special order BigBRO,' says Dmitry Chernov.
Own Shipyard
Yet three years ago, there wasn't even a trace of the BRO plant. Dmitry Chernov felt boat restoration was more of a hobby, while Denis Serkov worked in a completely different field. But after assessing the possible prospects for small boat construction, the friends decided to set up their own shipyard.
For a full-fledged production, it is not enough to have a creative and committed team around you and a vibrant social network (YouTube channel alone says a lot). You still need good quality equipment. And this is where government support came in handy for the start-up. 'We never expected that it could be available on such attractive terms. Thus, with the help of the Rostov Regional Entrepreneurship Support Agency, we acquired a Turkish sheet bending machine on lease at 1%, and thanks to the Regional Leasing Company, we were able to attract additional financing at 3.5%. This is of course a great support for a young company, as well as the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art equipment,' testifies Denis Serkov. 'Public associations also help. The Aluminium Association, for instance, provides us with information support and helps us find the contacts we need in the industry.'
Nowadays, the young Rostov-based enterprise boasts modern painting, cutting, bending and welding facilities, which are as good as those of leading national and foreign shipyards.
For the Price of Two 'iPhones'
One of the young entrepreneurs' goals is to make aluminium boats available to everyone. 'We are improving production so that the starting price of a boat starts at RUB 250,000 and then the cost can vary depending on the client's wishes,' explains Denis Serkov on the company's pricing policy. In fact, an aluminium boat costs as much as two latest-model iPhones. The question is that smartphones cannot give the freedom of movement on the water and the harmony with nature that boat owners are becoming able to enjoy.
An aluminium boat is available to everyone
It's worth noting that interest in BRO's vessels is not limited to Russia. Apart from Rostov-on-Don, Moscow, Saratov, Gelendzhik, Tomsk, Sevastopol and other cities, aluminium boats and catamarans are supplied to Abkhazia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.
'An eight-metre long catamaran with modified cylinders will sail to Sevastopol — it is being branded in gold, silver and bronze. Another catamaran already has a customer from Mongolia. The vessels are used both for family entertainment, tourist excursions and for renting for specific events,' says Denis Serkov.
Currently, BRO manufactures up to four catamarans and 18 different size boats a month. The plans of the company include expanding production, as well as opening showrooms in Rostov-on-Don, Veliky Novgorod and Moscow. 'We are witnessing a growing interest in ship ownership and the development of infrastructure, including digital projects, which we are now pursuing under the auspices of the Aluminium Association, will further boost demand for aluminium ships and catamarans,' stresses Denis Serkov.